Integrity of testing results is important to any test, including those requiring spoken responses. Integrity, however, may be compromised in a spoken test by an imposter taking the test in lieu of the expected registered test taker. Such fraudulent activities pose a threat not only to the validity of individual test scores but also the perception among score users (e.g., universities and employers) of the test's overall integrity and reliability, especially if the fraudulent activities are not identified until after the scores have been reported to the score users. Fraudulent activities in testing situations would also impact other candidates who did not commit fraud, as the fraudulently obtained high scores may lessen the perceived significance of the scores of those who did not commit fraud.
The present inventors have recognized and appreciated a need for improved approaches to detect potential fraud in test taking activities.